Cluster electric socket



M. HERSKOVITZ CLUSTER ELECTRIC SOCKET- Filed Jan 26, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 M. HERSKOVITZ CLUSTER ELECTRIC SOCKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 26, 1921 Jan. 13. 1925. 1,523,198

. M. ljERSKOVlTZ CLU-STER ELECTRIC socxm' Filed Jan. 26, 1921 a Sheets-Sheet s "mill-III!"Illlllllll" lv Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

MAX HERSKOVITZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB/ TO PEERLESS LIGHT COMPANY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CLUSTER ELECTRIC SOCKET.

Application filed January 26, 1921. Serial No. 439,987.

To all whom 2'26 may concern: Be it known that'I, MAX Hnnsxovrrz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cluster Electric Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, generally stated, to electric socket structures provided at one portion with a part which is adapted to be connected with an electric socket and with a plurality of electric socket-s for connection therewith of separate electric plugs; and my primary object is to provide a novel, simple and economical construction of cluster socket which will be very rigid and satisfactorily perform the service for which plugs of more expensive construction have hitherto been used.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of an electric socket structure constructed in accordance with my invention. Figure'2 is a plan view of the structure of Fig. 1. Figme 3 is a section taken at the line 3 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Figure 1 is a section taken at the line t on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Figure 5 is a view like Fig. 4 of a modification of the construction shown in the preceding figures. Figure 6 is a plan sectional view of another one of the many other forms in which the inventionmay be provided; and Figure 7, a section taken at 3.1 the line 77 on Fig. 6 and viewed in the directionof the arrows.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 4- inclusive, the body portion of the socket structure is formed of two tubular members '8 which extend in diverging condition, as shown, and in which the threaded electric current-conducting shells 9 are secured, the upper end of the body portion referred to being provided with a. screw plug portion 10 at which the cluster socket is adapted to be secured in an electric socket for making the desired electrical contacts.

In accordance with one of the features of my invention the tubular members 8 are formed preferably of insulating material, as for example fibre board or relatively stiff cardboard formed into seamless tubing from which the sections 8 are formed by cutting up the tubing into the desired lengths, to cause each section 8 to present a mitered end portion 11 at which these tubular sectrons are joined as represented in the drawings with the upper extremities of the sections 8 cut away to provide a substantially circular opening 12 at the upper end of the structure formed of the two assembled sections 8 as stated. The electric sockets located in the outer ends of the tubular sections 8, and in part formed of the screw shells 9, may be of any desirable construction, those shown being of common form and including disks 13 of insulating material interlocked with a corrugated portion 14 of the shell and provided with a center contact 15, the shells 9 being electrically connected together, as through the mediun'i of a plate 16 of angular shape in cross section which is located within the tubular members 8 and straddles the lower portion of the joint thereloetween, this plate cou formingly fitting the inner surface of the juxtaposed sections 8 and connected with the shells 9, as by soldering it thereto, as at the points indicated at 17, the plate 16 being formed, preferably integrally therewith, at opposite ends thereof, with up wardly-extending arms 18.

Theplug portion '10 is located at the upper end of the structure formed of the tuoular sections 8, in registration with the opening 12 therein, this plug portion being formed of the screw shell 19, forming one of the electrical contacts of the plug and with a center contact 20 secured to the shell 19, but out of electrical contact therewith, by a disk-like member 21 of insulating material held in fixed relation on the shell 19. The wall ofthe opening 12 is preferably reenforced by a metallic ring 22 containing an outwardly-opening groove 23 in its outer peripheral surface into which the upper edge of the wall of'the opening 12, extends, the lower continuous edge of the ring 22 underlapping the under surface of the wall of said opening, or, in other words, the ring 22 and the portion of the structure formed of the sections 8, at the upper, open, end of the latter extend in telescoped relation. The upper ends of the arms 18 are preferably soldered to the inner surface of the ring 22, the screw shell 19 also being preferably soldered to this ring. If desired the upper edge of the wall of the opening 12 may be notched at intervals to insure of the running of the solder, in its application to the strucshells 9 which form one of the contacts for each of the sockets, are electrically connected together by the plate 16 which in turn is connected with the ring 22, through the medium of the arms 18 soldered thereto, the ring 22 being in electrical contact with the shell 19, and the center contacts 15 being connected with wires 24 and 25, respectively, which extend upwardly through the structure and connect with the center contact 20. I

In assembling the parts of the structure, the socket portions of which the shells 9 are parts, may be soldered to the plate 16 in the positions shown in Fig. 4, and the tubular sections 8, out to the form shown, then slipped over these socket portions from opposite sides thereof to position them as shown in Fig. 4, the wires 24 and 25 having been secured to the center contacts 15 previous to the assembly of the tubes 8 with the sockets as stated. The ring 22 is then as sembled with the casing structure formed of the sections 8, to extend in the position shown, whereupon the arms 18 are soldered to this ring. The wires 24 and 25, which are provided in a. fairly long length, as shown, are then introduced into the screw shell 19 and rigidly united with the center contact 20, as by soldering them, whereupon the shell 19' is fitted over the upper end of the ring 22 to the position shown in Fig. 4 and in such position soldered to the ring. It will be understood that while I have described certain particular operations in assembling the parts, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit the invention to assembling them in this manner.

If desired, a strip section 100 in the form of a U may be provided as for strengthening the structure, or serving as an OI'Il2L11111- tation, or both, this strip being positioned, as shown, to extend in partially encircling position about the casing of the structure as the joint between its tubular sections, each of the upper ends of this strip being provided with a pair of prongs 101 one at each side of the joint between the sections 8 which extend through openings in these sections and are bent to oppose the inner surfaces of the sections 8. Furthermore, if desired, either the stop 16 or 100 may be omitted, and if 16 is omitted the connections between the ring 22 and shells 9 may be by wires or by any other suitable means.

The structure thus provided may not only be manufactured very economically and rapidly, but is strong and presents a. very neat appearance. If desired, and under some conditions it may be found desirable, especially if the tubing of which the sections 8 are formed does not in itself present the desired stiffness, any suitable wax .hav ing current insulating properties, may be poured into the tubes 8, to fill the interior surface to any desired extent either solidly, as shown, or with an open center, the cement in the particular construction shown being poured into the upper end of the casing formed of the tubes 8 up to a point where it partially fills the ring 22, the cement be ing thus applied before the shell 19 is ap plied to position. If desired, before this cement is set the entire structure after positioning the screw shell 19 on the casing re ferred to, maybe turned upside down to permit a. part of the cement to fiow into the shell 19 to cause the entireinner surface of the cluster structure to be coated with the cement,'in which case the cement would take the form of a shell instead of a solid mass.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 5, the wires, represented at 26 and 27 leadingfrom the center contacts 15, and corresponding to the wires 24 and 25 of the preceding figures, instead of leading to a. center contact of the plug, are connected, as b-ysoldering, to the ring 22, and the center contact of the plug and which is represented at 28 being the headed end of a rod 29 which extends through the shell 19 and screws into a yoke-shaped plate 30 located at the inner side of the lower portion of the joint be tween the tubes 8 and extending across the same with its ends flatwise opposingthe innor surfaces of thetubes8 and connected with the shells 9 as by soldering them at the points indicated at 31. In this particular construction the cement is shownas omitted but it will be understood that it. may be used, if desired, as explained in connection with the construction of the preceding figures.

My invention may also be embodied in a structure wherein more than two of the electric socket portions are provided in grouped relation, and as illustrative of one of the many other forms in which the invention may be provided, I have shown in Figs. 6 and 7 a construction involving four of the socket portions disposed in radiating condition relative to the attaching plug of the cluster socket. vide four tubular members represented at 32 and which correspond with the sections 8 of Fig. 1, the ends of the sections 32 at' which they meet to form a cross, being mitered at 90 angles whereby when assembled with each other to the position shown in Fig. Gthey will interfit as shown, the upper central portion of the casing. structure thus provided presenting an opening represented at 33. The tubular sections 32 are preferably connected at the bottom of the casing structure in any desirable way, as'by means of a plate 34 applied fiatwise to the under surface of the casingstructure In this construction I proand having prongs 36 which project upwardly through slots in the casing sections 32, these prongs being bent down against the inner surfaces of the casing sections to firmly secure the latter in the proper assembled position. Each casing section 32 contains an electric socket 37, the screw threaded shell of each of which is represented at 38 and the center contact, held in place by a disk 39 of insulating material, at 40. Located within the casing structure formed of the sections 32, and straddling the joints between adjacent ones of these sections, are plates 41 of V-shape in cross-section the opposite ends of which are connected with adjacent ones of the shells 37, as by soldering them at the points indicated at 42, whereby all of the socket shells 38 are electrically connected together, each one of the plates 41 being provided with an upwardlyextending portion 43, for a purpose hereinafter explained. The center contacts are connected with wires 44 which extend upwardly through the opening 33 and connect with the center contact 45 of the screw-plug portion 46 of the cluster socket, the screw shell 47 of which carries a disk 48 of insulating material with which the center contact 45 is connected. The shell 47 is positioned on the casing structure, formed of the tubular members 32, in registration with the opening 33 therein in which position it is secured, as by soldering it to a ring 49 located within the opening 33 and associated with the walls thereof as explained of the ring 22 in the preceding figures, the upper ends of the arms 43 overlapping the inner surface of the ring 49 and being secured thereto, as by means of solder.

The parts of the structure may be assembled generally in the manner as explained of the structure of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the socket portions being first united with the plate sections 41 and the wires 44 with the contacts 40, and the tubular sections 32 then applied to position to encircle the socket members, and the plate 34 then applied to'the position shown, the ring 49 being assembled with the parts 32, the wires 44 with the contact 45, and the plug 46 with the casing'structure and ring 49, as explained of the previously described structure. If desired, cement may be used in this structure as in the case of the structure of Fig. 4, and for the purpose stated.

lVhile I have illustrated and described certain particular constructions constituting certain embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variously modified and altered and the invention embodied in other forms, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A cluster electric socket having a hollow body comprising hollow portions formed of separate members held in abutting relation, a screw-plug located at the juncture of said portions, electrical contact devices in the outer ends of said portions, and a member straddling said body at its under portion at the joint between said portions and having prongs which extend through said body portion at opposite sides of said joint and extend in bent condition in overlapping relation to the inner surface of said body.

2. A cluster electric socket having a hollow body comprising hollow portions formed of separate members of currentinsulating material, ascrew plug located adjacent the juncture of said portions, electric contact devices in the outer ends of said portions, and a U-shaped member securing said portions together and operating to strengthen said body.

3. A cluster electric socket having a hollow body comprising hollow portions formed of separate members of current-insulating material, a screw plug located adjacent the juncture of said portions, electric contact devices in the outer ends of said portions, a combined body-section-stifiening and contact-connecting member in said body, and a member located exteriorly of said body and at the joint between said portions and between which and said body-section-stifiening and contact-connecting member said portions extend.

MAX I-IERSKOVITZ. 

